I Have An Embarrassing Number Of Sweaters But These Are The Only 4 I Ever Wear
I love the word “knitwear.”
by Audie Metcalf
First, a disclaimer. I live in California, so when I “wear” a “sweater” it’s sort of like performance art. Yes, it dips down to 50 at night in the winter, but often it hovers around 65 during the day, so easy on-and-off sweaters are key. I’m telling you this because if you’re in a frigid part of the country/world where wearing a sweater is less “this would look cute with these jeans” and more “if I don’t wear 4 layers I might actually freeze into a solid” you might want to ignore me. Though to be fair, all of these sweaters are excellent as layering pieces for truly frosty weather in wind-whipped NYC and the like.
I’m from CT, so I’ve amassed a lottttttt of knitwear. And I only keep things I truly love. And yet, when I feel a cold snap in the morning, there are really only 4 sweaters I ever reach for. I think it’s mostly to do with their impossible softness. In my cranky old age, I’ve noticed I have a zero tolerance policy for scratchiness of any kind. Which means all manner of wools and mohairs are just an immediate no. It even means I’ve become a snob about cashmere because some cashmere, while very expensive, still has an itch factor.
No.
All of these are deliciously not itchy, profoundly comfortable, shockingly flattering, and reasonably priced. If you’re a sweater person, or if you’re cold right now, surely one of them will speak to you.
1. Quince Lightweight Mongolian Cashmere Boatneck Sweater
A boatneck suddenly makes every shirt or sweater special. I wear it with jeans or pants, and poof, it really looks like I’m wearing an outfit, even though it’s deeply basic. This one is sooooooo supremely soft and easy to wear.
And! If you’re stumped on how to wear it off the shoulder (because who among us DIDN’T have fantasies of dressing like Alex in Flashdance?), we wrote a whole thing about it HERE. Oh, and this color is also heavenly and is next on my list.
Price: $80
2. Modern Citizen Eames Organic Cotton-Wool Button Cardigan
There sort of isn’t a day that goes by where THIS look doesn’t enter my mind in some way, such was its utter and totalizing impact on the American Sartorial Landcape™. Butttttt I don’t have 2k lying around, oops. So I got the Modern Citizen version and it’s lovely. The nipped waist and bell sleeves are so shockingly flattering, and yet, you can unbutton the bottom 2 buttons so that it skims gloriously over the belly. The price is also pretty glorious.
Price: $168
3. Quince Mongolian Cashmere Fisherman Boxy Cropped Cardigan Sweater
You knew this was on here. Didn’t you? We’ve probably written about this sweater more than any other single piece of clothing on this site, and for good reason. It’s tremendously soft, it’s so very cozy, it’s oversized, and now it comes in a cropped version which hits in juuuuust the right spot. The original long length is ideal for lounging around at home, but this cropped version is THE ultimate throw-on overthing atop any outfit for instant coziness without looking shlubby.
Price: $120
4. Aritzia Wilfred
sonder sweater
I saved the most unassuming for last. Also because it sells out every second and I don’t want you to scream at me in my dms. This sweater is, quite simply, perfect. I never thought I could love a crew neck so deeply. The material is almost spongy and the arms are ample and the waist is perfectly nipped for easy, non-bulky tucking. But it also looks gorgeous untucked.
I was so gobsmacked by the material of this sweater I raced out and got this v-neck wrap version that’s perfect in every way if you like a bit more skin, or if you love to highlight your waist.
Price: $118
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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